AT the funeral in Ballinrobe, Co Mayo, last weekend of the late and great Robbie O'Grady, his close friend Denis Kelleher paid a fitting tribute to a packed congregation in St Mary's Church in praise of this much-loved family man, friend to all and two-time World Cup winner.
“I got to know Robbie in the 1960s and my first impressions were of a very helpful man particularly in those early years following my nomination as secretary of the local angling club. Much later we would travel regularly to competitions on Conn and Melvin.
“I recall a stay in Bundoran which gave me confirmation of his love of music. One evening we entered a pub with loud music playing. Robbie moved up to claim two seats beside the band, whereupon I requested him to move back from the noise, but no stir from Robbie much to the amusement of a bystander who quipped: ‘The young fella wanted the ’oul fella to move back from the noise. I’ve seen it all now.’”
His love of music ensured his participation over the years in Ballinrobe Musical Society’s annual productions and, along with his beloved Nan, ran a guesthouse whilst at the same time rearing their family. He also had a bicycle business and became an expert on the Seagull outboard engine.
When he won the World Cup in 1976, the late George Burrows of The Irish Times stated: "Robbie has been on the trail helping the festival in all sorts of ways as chairman, boat manager, handyman doing the jobs that fall to all organisers. He is an all-round sportsman following the seasons with rod and gun and dog."
On behalf of the World Cup Trout Committee, Ballinrobe & District Trout Anglers, I express my deepest sympathy to his wife Nan and children. And to Robbie, I say in recognition of his favourite singer Frank Sinatra “No more of this, He did it His way”. n Castlebar angler Bernard Kennedy provides an exciting account of his personal best pike of 27lb+ while fishing on Lough Carra: “We were returning back to the slipway trolling along a drop off when I felt a few taps on the line. I struck and immediately knew I had a big fish on.
“After about 15 minutes I got her near the boat and along with my colleague Tom Quinn managed to lift her into the boat. She was quickly and easily unhooked, weighed and photographed.
“I held her in the water for a few minutes until revived before she made her way back to the drop off and deep water. I sat down in the boat afterwards trying to take in what had just happened. My previous best was 19 pounds, set a few weeks earlier with the same lure.”
n The Loughs Agency is hosting two coaching sessions on the 6th and 13th December to those interested in learning how to fish or improve their skills. While the coaching is complimentary there is a £1 charge for those who wish to achieve the CAST certificate with proceeds going to angling development programmes.
The sessions at 10am, noon and 2pm must be booked in advance at gillian.simpson@loughs-agency.org or tel. 02871 342100. n The first in a series of one-day courses entitled “Match the Hatch” with Ken Whelan and Jason O’Riordan will be held on Sunday, 17th January, at Courtlough Fishery, Balbriggan, Co Dublin.
Participants attending this intensive small stillwater course will learn how to fish imitative flies with success, insect/invertebrate identification, select flies to match trout’s diet and sample insects from local water.
To book, contact: ken.whelan@hotmail.com or joriordan0@gmail.com. For more details see: gamefishingireland.ie/blog/ n Are you interested in buying the famous Fly Fishing Dreams Calendar for 2015? See the stunning gallery of images on www.davidlambroughton.com or contact info@elbi.nl.
n The first winter league match of South Munster CAC on the graveyard section of Inniscarra Lake near Coachford, Co Cork, produced some fantastic roach fishing with best results coming on the whip and short line long pole. RESULTS: 1, T Platt, 37lb 2oz; 2, P Swistun, 37-0; 3, T Lawton, 25-0; 4, K Leahy, 24-15; 5, D Lennox, 22-12.
angling@irishtimes.com
